Brian Barwick

Education

Barwick was educated at Quarry Bank High School and then gained a degree in economics at Liverpool University.

BBC

He later worked as a journalist for the North West Evening Mail, based in Barrow-in-Furness, before joining the BBC's sports department in 1979. He was a producer of Football Focus (1982–1984) and editor of Match of the Day (1988–1995). He was senior editor of the BBC's coverage of the 1990 and 1994 World Cups.

Aside from football, Barwick was also the senior editor for the BBC's broadcasting of several other sporting events including the Barcelona and Atlanta Olympic Games, the Commonwealth Games and the European and World Athletics Championships. He was also the editor of Sports Review of the Year (1991–1995). In 1995, he became BBC's Head of Sport (Production).

ITV

In February 1998, Barwick moved to ITV and became controller of sport. At ITV he was responsible for several high-profile sporting events such as the 1998 World Cup, which saw the channel's highest ever audience of 23.8m viewers for the match between England and Argentina, and the 2002 World Cup, and the 2000 and 2004 European Championships.

Barwick also negotiated rights for ITV to televise sporting events, including: the Champions League, the 2003 and 2007 Rugby World Cup, Formula One, The Boat Race, the Super Bowl and the Tour de France, and won the Premier League highlights rights from the BBC from 2001–2004. He was also responsible for launching ITV2 and bringing Des Lynam and Gabby Logan to ITV.

The FA

In November 2004, Barwick was named as the chief executive of the Football Association and began the role in January 2005. He had worked with the FA before joining as the chief executive, negotiating a number of TV rights deals for both the BBC and ITV. Barwick worked with three England managers during his time at the FA – Steve McClaren, Sven Goran Eriksson and Fabio Capello.

Barwick also oversaw the completion of the new Wembley Stadium and launched the FA's Respect Campaign. He stepped down from his role in August 2008 and left the organisation at the end of that year.

Rugby League

After launching his own sport and media consultancy, Barwick was approached to become the new Chairman of the Rugby Football League in January 2013. He also took up the post as Chairman of the sport's Super League Europe. He also sits on the Rugby League International Federation as England's representative. Barwick was also Chairman of the RFL's 2021 Rugby League World Cup bid and has subsequently been made a member of the 2021 Rugby League World Cup Board.

The National League

Barwick was appointed the new Chairman of football's National League (formerly the Football Conference) in June 2015 and was also made a member of the FA Council.

Other Appointments

Barwick was appointed Chairman of the City of Liverpool's 2022 Commonwealth Games Bid in April 2017. Barwick was Visiting Professor of Strategic Leadership at the Management School of the University of Liverpool between January 2009 - June 2017. He has also been Chairman of the Advisory Board of UCFB – a higher education establishment working in football business industries. He was made an honorary doctorate by Buckinghamshire New University in September 2015 in recognition of his career in broadcasting and sport, and in August 2017 was made a member of the Liverpool Hope University's Business School's Advisory Board.

He has had three books published – "The Great Derbies - Everton v Liverpool" (with Gerald Sinstadt), an autobiography, "Anfield Days and Wembley Ways" and "Are You Watching the Match Tonight", a history of football on television. He writes regularly in local and national media in sports broadcasting and life in general. His interests include British comedy, swimming and popular music.